The Tamarac Bengals will challenge the Saratoga Central Catholic Saints at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Tamarac is coming into the contest hot, having won their last seven games.
Tamarac barely beat Hoosick Falls the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bengals put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 10-3 victory on Thursday. The Bengals might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven games by six runs or more this season.
Erin Lee made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Makenna Ashe was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Mihaly Blake was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Tamarac kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Saratoga Central Catholic was able to grind out a solid win over Waterford-Halfmoon on Wednesday, taking the game 13-9. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Saints.
Like Tamarac, Saratoga Central Catholic also got a great game from a two-way player: Paige Jaffe. She struck out seven batters over 6.1 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. Those seven strikeouts gave Jaffe a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Allison Fuller, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Elise Guidon, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Tamarac's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-2. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Saratoga Central Catholic, their victory bumped their record up to 8-4.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Tamarac has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. However, it's not like Saratoga Central Catholic struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Tamarac took their win against Saratoga Central Catholic when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 19-2 score. Will the Bengals repeat their success, or do the Saints have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
